Tea is one of the most popular beverages worldwide. It comes in a range of varieties, all originating from the Camellia sinensis plant (1Trusted Source).
Many of the compounds in tea are consistently linked to various health benefits, causing most people to consider this beverage a healthy addition to their diet (1Trusted Source).
Nonetheless, some argue that some of tea’s compounds may have addictive properties and that drinking too much could do more harm than good.
Contains caffeine, which may be addictive
Different types of tea contain varying amounts of caffeine, the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance worldwide. It’s a natural stimulant, and the compound most often blamed for tea’s potentially addictive properties
Caffeine is often labeled as addictive because it has a chemical structure resembling that of adenosine — a compound naturally found in your body that relaxes your central nervous system
Because of this chemical structure, caffeine can fit into adenosine receptors located in your brain and prevent adenosine from binding to them. The resulting lack of adenosine prevents your brain cells from signaling that you’re tired
This can also cause your body to release larger amounts of other natural stimulants, such as dopamine, which further suppress feelings of tiredness and help you stay alert
It’s speculated that regularly drinking caffeine-containing beverages, including tea, may cause your brain cells to make more adenosine receptors to compensate for the ones blocked by caffeine
Over time, this can mean that you need increasingly larger amounts of tea to experience the same effects from caffeine. It may also cause you to experience withdrawal symptoms if you abruptly quit the beverage
Ultimately, these changes in brain chemistry are why caffeine-containing foods and drinks are considered potentially addictive
Is it a true addiction?
Addictions come in many shapes and forms but tend to share several clinical symptoms. The ones most often used by health professionals to recognize an addiction include
continued use despite experiencing harm
a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to control or cut down usage
experiencing withdrawal symptoms when cutting down or discontinuing use
Research suggests that some people who regularly consume caffeine may develop addiction-like symptoms, and the World Health Organization (WHO) officially recognizes caffeine dependence as a syndrome
On the other hand, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) does not classify caffeine addiction as a substance abuse disorder
It’s currently unclear how many people develop addiction-like symptoms as a result of drinking tea. There’s also limited information about whether tea drinkers struggle with reducing their intake.
Therefore, more research is needed before conclusions can be made about tea’s addictive properties.
Nutritions#
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